49ers VP John McVay "has seen more blindside hits on
quarterbacks this season than he can ever recall." That's why he
is proposing that the NFL competition committee study the use of
a penalty box, similar to that in the NHL. McVay: "So many
people are putting hits on quarterbacks this year that someone
needs to come up with something innovative to try to stop it."
Under McVay's plan, a player would have to sit out 15 plays for a
late hit or roughing on a quarterback, but unlike the NHL, the
defense would not have to play a man short. McVay says he has
not spoken with any competition committee members about making it
an item on next March's agenda (Timothy Smith, N.Y. TIMES,
11/30). Agent Leigh Steinberg, who has 17 QBs as clients, will
bring together leading brain specialists to discuss every aspect
of head injuries. Steinberg will invote every NFL QB to the
seminar. Key topics: the cumulative effect of concussions, and
whether repeated concussions cause premature senility (USA TODAY,
11/30). In New York, Phil Mushnick writes, "The NFL, for several
years, has packaged and sold unneccessary, undeniably dangerous
violence. The time has passed for Paul Tagliabue to do what
David Stern did and pull back on the sick stuff. The NFL is not
only losing its standing as a sport, it's systematically losing
its highest paid stars to brain contusions" (N.Y. POST, 11/30).
